By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council will try yet again to pass a budget in a special meeting called for Thursday.
A motion to read a proposed budget for the second time failed on a 4-4 vote at a called meeting on Tuesday.
At issue were some changes in salaries which some council members said they wanted to see reflected exactly in the budget, while Mayor Larry Bryant said there was already room for them in the budget as proposed.
The proposed budget which was handed out Tuesday called for revenue totaling $8,987,200, up from $8,806,574 for the 2003 budget. Proposed expenditures in the proposed budget totaled $8,491,211, up from $8,007,297 in 2003.
On the vote for a second reading, Louise Fields, Roy Hancock, Mary Jeffers and Cecil Twillie voted yes. Voting no were Roger Breeding, John Gadberry, Steve Hollowell and Brent Ponder.
A committee charged with recommending pay rates which will establish parity with other cities of similar size still has some recommendations to make. Bryant complained that more needs to be taken into account, such as the type of tax base different cities may have.
Roger Breeding said that in preparation for the next meeting, "I want to see figures on the revenue and expenditure side that agree with the salaries for each department."
Some of the discussion included holiday pay for the police and fire chiefs. This is pay over and above normal salary for working holidays, required by law to be paid to firefighters and police officers. This year, Bryant was excluding the chiefs from the pay, and there were questions about it. City Clerk Marie Todd said the city had been doing it for at least 10 years that she knew of.
Bryant said that he believed the chiefs were already being paid to work any time they were needed. However, he agreed to consult with the Municipal League to see if state law required that the chiefs also be included in holiday pay.
Although the reason for the called meeting was the budget, the council also got into a side discussion over naming a completion date for the Ophelia Street paving project. Nothing was settled, after Breeding reminded the council that their main subject was supposed to be the budget.
There was also some discussion over how much input department heads should have in hiring their personnel. Bryant said they always had input.
Twillie said, "If I just send someone to someone, I don't see him having that same type of loyalty that you expect."
Bryant answered, "I've been for five years, Mr. Twillie, and it seems as though that all of a sudden the way that I have managed city government -- everything is wrong. Now if you can find something, in concrete, that states that the way I've done has failed the City of Forrest City, say it. Or let's move on and let me, as the administrator who was hired by the people, administrate. And you appropriate and pass the laws."
Fields noted that there were some department heads present and asked them if any of them were having problems. No one answered.
The city council's next meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 29,
at 5 p.m.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A Forrest City Police Officer charged with drunk driving has been reassigned pending the outcome of his case.
In a memo dated Friday, Jan. 23, Forrest City Police Department Chief Clarence McNeary notified Lt. Frank Frymire that he was being reassigned to administrative duties pending his court appearance. According to the memo, Frymire is to "only go out on a call if it is an absolute emergency or necessity."
Frymire, a 22-year police veteran, was officially charged last week with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving stemming from an accident on Dec. 29. A blood alcohol test performed after the accident showed Frymire's BAC to be .22. The legal limit is .08.
His attorney, Frank Morledge, entered not guilty pleas to each charge during an appearance in St. Francis County District Court on Thursday. Frymire did not attend the court hearing. The trial is scheduled for Monday, March 8, in SFCDC in Forrest City before Judge Richard Proctor of Wynne.
McNeary said the reassignment became effective after Frymire's court date Thursday, but the memo was sent Friday afternoon.
"He's not going to be treated any differently than anyone else," McNeary said. "He's entrusted to uphold the law."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A bank in Forrest City will undergo changes later this year after it was purchased by one of the nation's 50 largest banks last week.
According to a press release from Regions Financial Corp. and Union Planters Corp., the two corporations have signed a definitive merger agreement which will create the 12th largest bank holding company nationwide in terms of deposits. The new company will be known as Regions Financial Corporation.
An official with the local branch was unsure as to how the merger would affect local customers.
"Right now, everything is still being worked on so I cannot comment on how it will affect us locally, but we will let everyone know once we've found out more information," said King Casbeer, president of the Forrest City branch of Union Planters Bank.
According to the press release, upon completion of the transaction, Regions will have a 15-state network of 1,400 banking branches with 1,700 ATMs and over 140 brokerage offices. The new company will service the Mid-South with branches in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the merger.
A Cross County teenager out of jail on bond was arrested at a Forrest City school this morning for the rape of a woman last week at a local convenience store.
The 16-year-old male suspect was taken into custody about 9 a.m. at the Forrest City Alternative School, where he was attending classes.
According to a press release from the Forrest City Police Department, the suspect is charged with rape and aggravated robbery in connection with the Jan. 23 incident at Murphy USA on Deaderick Road. Police reported the suspect allegedly raped the victim inside a bathroom as she was closing the business for the night.
In addition to the rape and aggravated robbery charges, the teenager is also charged with resisting arrest and possession of a counterfeit controlled substance. During his arrest, police found a plastic bag containing a white powdery substance weighing 1.9 grams. The contents of the bag will be sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for analysis, according to police.
The suspect is being held in the St. Francis County Jail without bond.
According to police, the prosecuting attorney's office in Wynne was notified of the new charges due to the suspect being out on bond from other pending felony charges in that jurisdiction. Deputy Prosecutor Michael Ladd could not be reached for comment this morning on those charges.